Record Reviews

ROGER CHAPMAN ~ CHAPPO / LIVE IN HAMBURG BGO 824 (Barcode: 5017261208248) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1979 Released: 2008 1st and 2nd albums by UK singer Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist, recorded following the demise of FamilyFind albums by this artist and later StreetwalkersFind albums by this artist, the two bands he led since the late 1960s and up to the late 1970s. Chapman´s decision to go solo was a logical move following his experiences with bands, which failed to gain large following, despite the fact that they played some of the best music recorded in the 1970s, both Prog and later Classic Rock. He was at the top of his vocal powers and idiosyncratic showmanship and unique throaty voice had no equals, neither at the time nor later. Chapman selected an excellent band to accompany him on his debut studio album, which included Henry SpinnettiFind albums by this artist on drums, Geoff WhitehornFind albums by this artist on guitar and the legendary Brian OdgersFind albums by this artist on bass. Ex-Family cohort Poly PalmerFind albums by this artist also participated on several tracks. Following the release of the studio album Chapman formed a touring band, christened ShortlistFind albums by this artist, which included some of the musicians who played on the studio album and added Ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist saxophonist Mel CollinsFind albums by this artist, which was recorded live in Germany a few month later and released as the second album. Both albums absolutely kick butt are superb examples of Classic Rock, even when recorded relatively late, when Rock was already dying. Chapman still enjoys quite a lot of popularity, especially in Europe, and continues to perform and record. For his fans these albums are an absolute must!

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FAMILY ~ A SONG FOR ME / ANYWAY... BGO 854 (Barcode: 5017261208545) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2009 3rd and 4th albums by the fantastic British Prog band FamilyFind albums by this artist, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. Formed by vocalist Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist and guitarist John WhitneyFind albums by this artist, who also were responsible for writing the band´s exceptional material, the original lineup included also saxophonist Jim KingFind albums by this artist, bassist Rick GrechFind albums by this artist and drummer Rob TownsendFind albums by this artist. This lineup recorded two exceptional albums: "Music In A Doll`s HouseFind albums with this title" and "Family EntertainmentFind albums with this title", which are considered as Prog masterpieces. Following the departure of Grech (to form Blind FaithFind albums by this artist) and later King, they were replaced by bassist John WeiderFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist Poli PalmerFind albums by this artist respectively. Palmer´s contributions on vibraphone, flute and piano expanded the band´s sound considerably, adding subtle Jazzy nuances to the already intricate musical amalgam the band produced. Chapman´s unique vocal qualities, which had absolutely no rivalry on the British scene, combined with the superb instrumental backing turned Family into an absolute marvel, which has stayed unchallenged for the last 40 years. The new lineup recorded the two albums included here in rapid succession, using 4 live tracks on the second album to speed up the recording process, which ultimately turned out to be the only live material ever formally released by the band. The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band´s contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

FAMILY ~ FEARLESS / LIVE BGO 855 (Barcode: 5017261208552) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2009 6th album and an album compiling live material recorded at the same period by the fantastic British Prog band FamilyFind albums by this artist, one of the most imaginative, sophisticated and excellent bands of the 1970s. Following the release of the 5th album, a compilation / remix release entitled "Old Songs New SongsFind albums with this title", bassist John WeiderFind albums by this artist left the band to be replaced by John WettonFind albums by this artist, who not only supplied some of his great bass pulsations but also added his excellent vocals to the group´s arsenal. Family were at that time at the absolute peak of their artistic powers, both in the studio and on stage, as beautifully documented by these two albums. Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist´s unique vocal qualities, which had absolutely no rivalry on the British scene, combined with the superb instrumental backing turned Family into an absolute marvel, which has stayed unchallenged for the last 40 years. The new lineup recorded two albums: "FearlessFind albums with this title" (included here) and the next studio album "BandstandFind albums with this title". The "LiveFind albums with this title" album, released for the first time as late as 2003, is the only live album by the band, except for the 4 live tracks on "Anyway...Find albums with this title". The quality of the songwriting, as well as the extended instrumental work, is staggering and completely uncompromised by the passage of time. This is the Holy Grail of early Prog, regardless the fact that most Prog historians and music critics often fail to recognize the band´s contribution to the genre. This remastered edition spiced up with many bonus tracks is a must to any collector of Prog albums, as no collection can be complete without them. Absolutely essential!

CD 2 Slipcase Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

SPOOKY TOOTH ~ IT`S ALL ABOUT REPERTOIRE 1074 (Barcode: 4009910107423) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1968 Released: 2005 1st album by superb British Rock band Spooky ToothFind albums by this artist, which comprised of four British musicians: vocalist / pianist Mike HarrisonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Luther GrosvenorFind albums by this artist, bassist Greg RidleyFind albums by this artist and drummer Mike KellieFind albums by this artist and American vocalist / organist Gary WrightFind albums by this artist, who lived in UK at the time. Together they possessed an incredible amount of talent, which turned then instantly into one of the best Rock acts on the British Isles at the end of the 1960s. Their material, mostly written by Wright, was a mixture of Rock, Blues and proto-Prog with Psychedelic influences, performed with a dense heavy sound dominated by Wright´s organ, somewhere between Procol HarumFind albums by this artist and Led ZeppelinFind albums by this artist. Grosvenor played some fantastic guitar licks and the rhythm section was second to none with Ridley´s heavy but virtuosic pulsations and Kellie´s spectacular pyrotechnics. Together with Harrison´s incredible vocal abilities, which combined the forces of everything from Robert PlantFind albums by this artist, via Rod StewartFind albums by this artist to Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist, the band had the ability to outshine any if its contemporaries, and they certainly did a fantastic job on their debut album, which is an incredible blast of energy and ingenuity, turning it into an instant classic. Although slightly patchy stylistically, since the band was still searching for its own unique approach, the variety of styles works well here and adds to the album´s appeal. This is definitely one of the strongest debut albums of Classic Rock and a diamond in any serious record collection. Essential listening experience!

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

STREETWALKERS ~ DOWNTOWN FLYERS BGO 542 (Barcode: 5017261205421) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 Released: 2002 2nd album by British band StreetwalkersFind albums by this artist, founded by two ex-FamilyFind albums by this artist founding members vocalist Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist and guitarist John WhitneyFind albums by this artist, after Family disbanded. Strictly speaking, it was the first album released under the Streetwalkers moniker, since the previous album was released as Chapman-WhitneyFind albums by this artist and was only entitled "StreetwalkersFind albums with this title", but in time that album was commonly accepted as the first Streetwalkers album and is referred to as such. Although Chapman and Whitney consciously wished to separate themselves from the Prog image associated with Family when they founded the new band, trying to create a more "straight-forward" Rock band, many of the elements which made Family one of the best and most unique bands were inherited. Chapman´s absolutely distinctive voice and vocal delivery was by itself a sufficient factor to distinguish the band from any other and with Whitney´s subtle guitar work and exceptional talent to write tunes that were both rhythmically and melodically quite apart from most Rock songs made Streetwalkers a great band. They drafted another singer / guitarist Bob TenchFind albums by this artist (ex-Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist group), who was responsible for the Rocky side of things and an excellent rhythm section, which kept the band kicking. Guest keyboardist also participated in the recording to expand the group´s sound. Unfortunately Streetwalkers somehow never really "made it", with their albums selling poorly, which eventually led to their demise, but their recorded legacy remains to this very day as an excellent example of sophisticated British Rock, which combines quality music with great delivery. This is a must to all Family fans, who will find the music a logical continuation to the Family´s output.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

STREETWALKERS ~ LIVE BGO 606 (Barcode: 5017261206060) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1977 Released: 2004 5th and last album by British band StreetwalkersFind albums by this artist, founded by two ex-FamilyFind albums by this artist founding members vocalist Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist and guitarist John WhitneyFind albums by this artist, after Family disbanded. Recorded during the very last months the band existed and released "posthumously", this album (originally a double LP) splendidly sums up the band´s three years of activity, presenting them at what they did best: kick ass. On stage Streetwalkers were a mean Rock machine, delivering their music with vengeance and perfect professionalism. Chapman´s unequalled vocal delivery is of course the focal point, but the instrumentalists provide a superb background for his genius. The music, mostly written by Chapman / Whitney, is sophisticated enough to be interesting at all times, but also rocky enough to deliver a care-free straight-ahead exterior appeal, which Rock music projects. This is a splendid farewell present to the band´s loyal fans and followers, which unfortunately were not strong enough in numbers to ensure the band´s success, especially in view of the fact that the musical trend at the time was rapidly shifting towards the anti-musical revolution of Punk. In retrospect this is a great showcase of the last glorious days of British Rock. The album is an absolute must to all Family fans, but should appeal to most dedicated British Rock lovers, especially after being unavailable for so long.

CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STREETWALKERS ~ LIVE AT ROCKPALAST REPERTOIRE 5327 (Barcode: 4009910532720) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1977 Released: 2013 This is an archival live 2CD / DVD album by the excellent British Rock group StreetwalkersFind albums by this artist, captured live in Germany in 1975 and 1977 for the TV program Rockpalast. The group was co led by the charismatic vocalist Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist and guitarist John WhitneyFind albums by this artist, who also co-wrote most of their original material. The group was formed following the legendary FamilyFind albums by this artist disbanded. Streetwalkers recorded four studio albums and one live album, and this release captures them in at their best. CD1 recorded in 1975 presents nine tracks and the lineup includes guitarist / vocalist Bob TenchFind albums by this artist, bassist Jonathan PlotelFind albums by this artist and drummer Nico McBrainFind albums by this artist. CD2 recorded in 1977 presents eleven tracks and the lineup includes Tench, bassist Michael FeatFind albums by this artist, drummer David DowleFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Brian JohnstoneFind albums by this artist. Due to time limitations, it misses one of the tracks present on the DVD. The DVD includes all the material on both CDs and one additional track, as mentioned above. Chapman and Whitney (with some help from Tench) were incredible songwriters, which is clearly evident herein, and Streetwalkers performed only original songs, as they always had plenty of material to choose from. Chapman’s incredible and highly idiosyncratic vocal performances are definitely some of the finest in British Rock music. Overall, this is a great piece of Rock history by one of the best British Rock / Blues-Rock performers, which is always a great pleasure to revisit and more importantly remember. The Family / Streetwalkers legacy is truly monumental, sadly somewhat underappreciated IMHO. Check it out for yourself!

Updated: 08/04/2024Posted: 08/04/2024

2CD+DVD 3 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STREETWALKERS ~ RED CARD / VICIOUS BUT FAIR BGO 669 (Barcode: 5017261206695) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1976 Released: 2005 3rd and 4th albums by British band StreetwalkersFind albums by this artist, founded by two ex-FamilyFind albums by this artist founding members vocalist Roger ChapmanFind albums by this artist and guitarist John WhitneyFind albums by this artist, after Family disbanded. The band continues to develop their strength and no-nonsense approach on these two albums, keep a steady core lineup of Chapman, Whitney and Bob TenchFind albums by this artist, with Chapman / Whitney providing most of the material, continuing their cooperation since the early days of Family. "Red CardFind albums with this title" is the band´s strongest album, with both the quality of the material and energetic delivery reaching an artistic peak. For "Vicious But FairFind albums with this title", their last studio album, the band added a fifth member, keyboardist Brian JohnstoneFind albums by this artist, but kept the basic direction. Chapman´s vocal qualities remain exceptional during the entire Streetwalkers period and he truly deserves the status of one of Britain´s most unique and talented vocalists. Both albums are prime examples of British Rock at its prime, with superb musicianship and total dedication and in spite of their lack of success at the time they were released, true icon of the era. These albums are a must to all Family fans, which should see in Streetwalkers a direct extension of the Family legacy and re-visit these recordings to find out how well they withstand the tides of time.

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